Christmas Contrasts

Was it grim in the workhouse at Christmas? Did anyone dare ask for more?

Local school children have been finding out what it was like in the poorhouse, by meeting Master Grimthorpe and Mistress Fry, master and mistress of the workhouse in Quay Road, now the Red House Museum.

Taking on the identity of real orphans and other workhouse inmates, the children learn about the diet of gruel and bread, education through a blackboard with the master’s cane as encouragement, and tasks that kept little fingers busy morning to night.

Once the school children have recovered from the hardship and silence of the workhouse, they receive a very warm welcome by ‘Lady Russell Cotes’ at The Russell Cotes Museum. Here they are enthralled by tales of Christmas past in the wealthy household and have the opportunity to make Victorian Christmas cards.

Christmas Contrasts is a joint educational project between the Red House Museum, Christchurch, and the Russell Cotes Museum, Bournemouth, allowing school children to experience both the rich and poor sides of a Victorian Christmas.